Vegan Christmas

Advice, recipes and gift ideas for a merry vegan Christmas

Christmas Drinks

Below are some recipes for drinks you can make for Christmas. If you want to buy drinks as gifts, head over to our drinks as gifts page. If you are looking for help in buying drinks that are vegan, read the guide to buying vegan wines, beers and spirits.

Bailey's

Vegan 'Baileys'

This is an alternative to Baileys Irish Cream that you can make at home.

Ingredients

Method

  1. Put everything into a blender and blend for a couple of minutes.
  2. Store in a bottle in the fridge. Shake the bottle before serving.

If you're can't be bothered making your own, check out Besos De Oro as a vegan alternative to Bailey's

Mulled Wine

You can make mulled wine using a mulled wine kit or by following the recipe below. You will need to ensure your wine is vegan so check out our wine buying page.

Mulled Wine

Make sure you serve the wine in heat-proof glasses. If you aren't serving it immediately, you can keep it warm in a slow cooker or a soup kettle.

Ingredients

Method

  1. Pour the wine into a saucepan. Cut the orange in half and add it. Add the cinnamon stick, nutmeg and bay leaf.
  2. Heat gently, stirring, until the wine is warmed through and the sugar has dissolved.
  3. Taste and add more sugar if desired.
  4. Remove from the heat and strain out the cloves, bay leaf and orange halves.
  5. Stir in the sloe gin, if using.

The Best, Most Christmassy Vegan Hot Chocolate In The World… Ever!

Christmas is the perfect time to indulge, and this hot chocolate is just wonderful for curling up by the fire or spending time with loved ones. There are many variations of this recipe and lots of opportunities for experimentation, but if you stick to using a high-quality cocoa powder and delicious hazelnut milk, you should easily achieve the world’s best hot chocolate. Add a hint of cinnamon and replace the sugar with maple sugar for a truly Christmassy feel. A splash of booze of your choice is also never a bad thing! Rum, whisky, vegan Baileys or Besos de Oro are all good choices.

Hazelnut Drinking Chocolate

Ingredients

  • 200 ml hazelnut milk
  • 3 tsp. cocoa powder
  • 3 tsp sugar (or maple sugar for an extra special treat)
  • ½ tsp cinnamon (optional)
USE HALF QUANTITIES FOR TEACUP SIZE

For the decoration (optional)

You can use squirty soya cream, vegan marshmallows, or other vegan sprinkles. These are found at your local vegan store or in the cake decorating aisle at the supermarket. Just make sure that nothing purchased at the supermarket contains sneaky animal ingredients such as gelatine and shellac.

Method

  1. Put the cocoa powder and the sugar into the cup, using a teaspoon to make sure there are no lumps in either. If you are using cinnamon, this can also be added at this point.
  2. Add a splash of hazelnut milk and mix to a thick paste. Add a little more so that the past is a little thinner, making sure there are no lumps.
  3. Use a microwave or stove to heat the remaining hazelnut milk to near boiling point. This should take about 90 seconds in a microwave or longer on the stove. Watch closely so it doesn’t boil over!
  4. Slowly add the heated hazelnut milk to the paste, stirring as you add. Make sure there are no lumps! Leave approximately 1cm empty at the top of the cup.
  5. Nothing completes a decadent hot chocolate like a bit of squirty soy cream. To make the perfect squirty cream swirl, start by squirting the cream against the inside of the cup and build upwards into a peak. The cream will stick to the cup better than it will to the hot chocolate, allowing a firmer base for your peak. If you don’t manage a perfect peak first time, don’t worry, it will still taste delicious and practice makes perfect. Sprinkle liberally with marshmallows or other toppings of your choice.